Method for manufacturing aircraft engine cases with bosses

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing turbine engine casings having at least one boss includes, in one exemplary embodiment, forming an engine casing having an outer wall, machining a tapered opening through the casing outer wall, and machining a tapered portion in a metal plug where the tapered portion is sized to mate with the tapered opening in the casing outer wall. The method also includes inserting the metal plug into the tapered opening in the casing outer wall, and welding the metal plug to the casing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to gas turbine engines, and moreparticularly, to manufacturing bosses on cases of gas turbine engines.

Gas turbine engines typically include an engine casing that extendscircumferentially around a compressor, and a turbine including a rotorassembly and a stator assembly. The rotor assembly includes at least onerow of rotating blades that extend radially outward from a blade root toa blade tip.

The manufacturing of engine casings include the incorporation of areasin the casing wall where the thickness is significantly increased. Theseareas, known as bosses, can include two different types, outsidediameter biased, where all the added thickness is on the outer surfaceof the casing, and neutral biased, where the is approximately an equalamount of material on the inside surface as on the outside surface ofthe casing. Allowances are made for these features during themanufacturing of the forgings, castings, or fabricated structures forthese parts. These allowances result in significant amount of excessmaterial that is removed during the manufacturing process.

This problem has been addressed by attaching OD biased bosses to casingsusing inertia/friction welding techniques to weld a cylindrical piece tothe outside surface of the casing. However, because of limited access tothe inside of the casing, this method cannot be used to add material tothe inside surface of the casing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, a method of manufacturing turbine engine casings havingat least one boss is provided. The method includes forming an enginecasing having an outer wall, machining a tapered opening through thecasing outer wall, and machining a tapered portion in a metal plug wherethe tapered portion is sized to mate with the tapered opening in thecasing outer wall. The method also includes inserting the metal pluginto the tapered opening in the casing outer wall, and welding the metalplug to the casing.

In another aspect, a method of manufacturing turbine engine casingshaving at least one boss is provided that includes forging an enginecasing having an outer wall, machining a tapered opening through thecasing outer wall, and machining a tapered portion in a metal plug,where the tapered portion is sized to mate with the tapered opening inthe casing outer wall. The method also includes inserting the metal pluginto the tapered opening in the casing outer wall, welding the metalplug to the casing, and machining the metal plug and at least a portionof the engine casing forging to form a boss on the casing outer wall.

In another aspect, a turbine engine casing is provided. The turbineengine casing includes an outer wall having a tapered opening extendingtherethrough; and a metal plug having a tapered portion located at leastpartially in the tapered opening. The tapered portion of the metal plugis mated with a side wall of the tapered opening in the casing outerwall.

In another aspect, a gas turbine engine is provided including acompressor, a high pressure turbine, and an engine casing extendingcircumferentially around the compressor and high pressure turbine. Thecasing includes an outer wall having a tapered opening extendingtherethrough, and a metal plug having a tapered portion located at leastpartially in the tapered opening. The tapered portion of the metal plugmating with a side wall of the tapered opening in the casing outer wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a gas turbine engine.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration showing an engine casing with a bossin accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration showing an engine casing with a bossin accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration showing a known method used to addbosses to engine casings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A turbine engine casing having a boss and method of forming the boss isdescribed in detail below. The boss is formed by machining a taperedopening through the casing wall, inserting a metal plug having a matingtapered portion, and welding the metal plug to the casing. The plug andcasing is then machined to the desired configuration. The method offorming the boss provides for the use of lighter forgings or casingsthat are less expensive to produce, require less machining tomanufacture, and permits more extensive use of conventional machining,for example, milling and turning.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a gasturbine engine 10 that includes a fan assembly 12 and a core engine 13including a high pressure compressor 14, and a combustor 16. Engine 10also includes a high pressure turbine 18, a low pressure turbine 20, anda booster 22. Fan assembly 12 includes an array of fan blades 24extending radially outward from a rotor disk 26. Engine 10 has an intakeside 28 and an exhaust side 30. In one embodiment, the gas turbineengine is a GE90 available from General Electric Company, Cincinnati,Ohio. Fan assembly 12 and low pressure turbine 20 are coupled by a firstrotor shaft 31, and compressor 14 and high pressure turbine 18 arecoupled by a second rotor shaft 32. A casing 34 surrounds core engine13.

During operation, air flows axially through fan assembly 12, in adirection that is substantially parallel to a central axis 36 extendingthrough engine 10, and compressed air is supplied to high pressurecompressor 14. The highly compressed air is delivered to combustor 16.Airflow (not shown in FIG. 1) from combustor 16 drives turbines 18 and20, and turbine 20 drives fan assembly 12 by way of shaft 31.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a boss 38 in an engine casingforging 40 in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Boss 38is formed from a cylindrical metal plug 42 having a tapered portion 44that is sized to mate with a tapered opening 46 in an outer wall 48 offorging 40. Outer surface 50 of tapered portion 44 of plug 42 is weldedto outer surface 52 of tapered opening 46 in outer wall 48 to form aunitary structure. Forging 40 and boss plug 42 are machined to a desiredshape and size to form casing 34 and boss 38 which is represented bydotted line 54.

Any known method of machining can be used to form tapered portion 44 ofmetal plug 42. Also, any suitable method of welding metal plug 42 toouter wall 48 of forging 40, for example inertia/friction welding, canbe used. To inertia weld metal plug 42 to outer wall 48, metal plug 42is rotated to a predetermined speed and then outer surface 50 of taperedportion 44 of plug 42 is forced into frictional engagement with outersurface 52 of tapered opening 46 in outer wall 48 to form a weld betweensurfaces 50 and 52.

As shown in FIG. 2, boss plug 42 includes a portion 56 that is adjacentto tapered portion and that extends from an outer surface 58 of casingforging 40. After the final machining of casing 34, no portion of boss38 extends beyond an inner surface 60 of casing 34 into the inside areaof casing 34. This boss arrangement is sometimes referred to as an ODbiased boss where all the added thickness from boss 38 is added to outersurface 58 of forging 40.

In the exemplary embodiment, casing 34 with boss 38 is fabricated byforming casing forging 40 with the thickness of outer wall 48 largerthan the desired thickness of casing 34. Tapered opening 46 is machinedinto outer wall 48 with outer surface 50 tapered outward from innersurface 60 to outer surface 58 of forging 40. Tapered portion 44 ofmetal plug 42 is machined so that outer surface 50 of tapered portion 44has the same taper as outer surface 52 of tapered opening 46 so thatouter surfaces 50 and 52 mate when plug 42 is inserted into taperedopening 46. Plug 42 is inertia/friction welded to casing forging 40 byrotating plug 42 at a predetermined speed and moving outer surface 50 oftapered portion 44 of plug 42 into frictional engagement with outersurface 52 of tapered opening 46 in outer wall 48 to form a weld betweensurfaces 50 and 52. Forging 40 and boss plug 42 are then machined to adesired shape and size to form casing 34 and boss 38. In one embodiment,plug 42 is contoured to the desired shape before welding to forging 40to minimize the final machining of forging 40.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of another embodiment showing anengine casing 34 with a boss 70. Boss 70, similar to boss 38 describedabove, is formed from a cylindrical metal plug 72 having a taperedportion 74 that is sized to mate with tapered opening 46 in outer wall48 of forging 40. Outer surface 76 of tapered portion 74 of plug 72 iswelded to outer surface 52 of tapered opening 46 in outer wall 48 toform a unitary structure. Forging 40 and boss plug 72 are machined to adesired shape and size to form casing 34 and boss 70 which isrepresented by dotted line 78.

Boss plug 72 includes a first portion 80 that is adjacent to taperedportion 74 and that extends from outer surface 58 of casing forging 40.Boss plug 72 also includes a second portion 82 that is adjacent taperedportion 74 and that extends from inner surface 60 of casing forging 40After the final machining of casing 34, first portion of boss 70 extendsbeyond outer surface 58 and second portion extends beyond inner surface60 of casing 34 into the inside area of casing 34. This boss arrangementis sometimes referred to as neutral biased boss where roughly an equalamount of added thickness from boss 70 is added to outer surface 58 andinner surface 60 of forging 40.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration showing a known method used to add aboss 90 to an engine casing 92. A cylindrical piece of metal 94 isinertia/friction welded to an outer surface 96 of a casing forging 98.Forging 98 and metal piece 94 are machined to a desired shape and sizeto form casing 92 and boss 90 which is represented by dotted line 100.Because the inertia/friction welding process is limited by the weld areain contact during welding, the known method used to add boss 90 toengine casing 92 and shown in FIG. 4 limits the diameter of metal piece94 that can be welded to forging 98.

The above describe exemplary method of fabricating casing 34 with boss38 provides for the use of lighter forgings that are less expensive toproduce, require less machining to manufacture, and permits moreextensive use of conventional machining, for example, milling andturning. Also, because the contact area between boss plug 42 and taperedopening 46 is an annular area, it permits inertia/friction welding ofbosses having larger diameters than the diameters of bosses in the knownmethod illustrated in FIG. 4.

While the invention has been described in terms of various specificembodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the inventioncan be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of theclaims.

1. A method of manufacturing turbine engine casings having at least oneboss, said method comprising: forming an engine casing having an outerwall; machining a tapered opening through the casing outer wall;machining a tapered portion in a metal plug, the tapered portion sizedto mate with the tapered opening in the casing outer wall; inserting themetal plug into the tapered opening in the casing outer wall; andwelding the metal plug to the casing.
 2. A method in accordance withclaim 1 wherein the metal plug comprises a first portion adjacent thetapered portion, said inserting the metal plug comprises inserting themetal plug into the tapered opening in the casing outer wall so that thefirst portion extends beyond an outer surface of the casing outer wall.3. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the metal plug comprisesa second portion adjacent the tapered portion, said inserting the metalplug comprises inserting the metal plug into the tapered opening in thecasing outer wall so that the second portion extends beyond an innersurface of the casing outer wall.
 4. A method in accordance with claim 1further comprising machining the metal plug to form a boss on the casingouter wall.
 5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the metalplug comprises a contoured shape that mirrors a predetermined shape ofthe boss, said machining the metal plug comprises machining thecontoured shaped metal plug to the predetermined shape of the boss.
 6. Amethod in accordance with claim 1 wherein welding the metal plug to thecasing comprises inertia welding the tapered portion of the metal plugto the casing outer wall.
 7. A method of manufacturing turbine enginecasings having at least one boss, said method comprising: forging anengine casing having an outer wall; machining a tapered opening throughthe casing outer wall; machining a tapered portion in a metal plug, thetapered portion sized to mate with the tapered opening in the casingouter wall; inserting the metal plug into the tapered opening in thecasing outer wall; welding the metal plug to the casing; and machiningthe metal plug and at least a portion of the engine casing forging toform a boss on the casing outer wall.
 8. A method in accordance withclaim 7 wherein the metal plug comprises a first portion adjacent thetapered portion, said inserting the metal plug comprises inserting themetal plug into the tapered opening in the casing outer wall so that thefirst portion extends beyond an outer surface of the casing outer wall.9. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the metal plug comprisesa second portion adjacent the tapered portion, said inserting the metalplug comprises inserting the metal plug into the tapered opening in thecasing outer wall so that the second portion extends beyond an innersurface of the casing outer wall.
 10. A method in accordance with claim7 wherein the metal plug comprises a contoured shape that mirrors apredetermined shape of the boss, said machining the metal plug comprisesmachining the contoured shaped metal plug to the predetermined shape ofthe boss.
 11. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein welding themetal plug to the casing comprises inertia welding the tapered portionof the metal plug to the casing outer wall.
 12. A turbine engine casingcomprising: an outer wall having a tapered opening extendingtherethrough; and a metal plug having a tapered portion located at leastpartially in said tapered opening, said tapered portion of said metalplug mating with a side wall of said tapered opening in said outer wall.13. A turbine engine casing in accordance with claim 12 wherein saidmetal plug is welded to said outer wall to form a unitary structure. 14.A turbine engine casing in accordance with claim 12 wherein said metalplug comprises a first portion adjacent said tapered portion, said metalplug located in said tapered opening with said first portion extendingbeyond an outer surface of said outer wall.
 15. A turbine engine casingin accordance with claim 14 wherein said metal plug comprises a secondportion adjacent said tapered portion, said metal plug located in saidtapered opening with said second portion extending beyond an innersurface of said outer wall.
 16. A turbine engine casing in accordancewith claim 12 wherein said metal plug comprises a contoured shape thatmirrors a predetermined shape of a boss.
 17. A gas turbine enginecomprising: a compressor; a high pressure turbine; and an engine casingextending circumferentially around said compressor and high pressureturbine, said casing comprising: an outer wall having a tapered openingextending therethrough; and a metal plug having a tapered portionlocated at least partially in said tapered opening, said tapered portionof said metal plug mating with a side wall of said tapered opening insaid outer wall.
 18. A gas turbine engine in accordance with claim 17wherein said metal plug is welded to said outer wall to form a unitarystructure.
 19. A gas turbine engine in accordance with claim 17 whereinsaid metal plug comprises a first portion adjacent said tapered portion,said metal plug located in said tapered opening with said first portionextending beyond an outer surface of said outer wall.
 20. A gas turbineengine in accordance with claim 19 wherein said metal plug comprises asecond portion adjacent said tapered portion, said metal plug located insaid tapered opening with said second portion extending beyond an innersurface of said outer wall.
 21. A turbine engine casing in accordancewith claim 17 wherein said metal plug comprises a contoured shape thatmirrors a predetermined shape of a boss.